40 dames at special dinner
An array of living legends and future stars attended a special formal dinner in Wellington celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage at Government House yesterday.
Hosted by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, the dinner united 40 of the 81 living dames, alongside women members of the Order of New Zealand and other notable New Zealand women.
Among them was up-and-coming actress Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, who said she was feeling positive about the next 125 years in the ongoing fight for female equality. ‘‘It feels like this generation is the generation who want to make a change . . . I feel proud to be a New Zealander, the first country to give women the vote.’’
Dame Lynda and Dame Jools Topp also walked the red carpet and said, in light of the country’s shocking domestic violence statistics, educating the next generation of boys was crucial.
‘‘When you empower the women in their lives you empower them. This is a great concept, if men really worked this out they’d be better off,’’ Dame Jools said.
‘‘We’ve always been powerful and stood up for what we want – we’ve always said we are strong women and don’t mess with us,’’ Dame Lynda said.
Guest speakers included the prime minister’s chief science adviser Juliet Gerrard and actress McKenzie.